ugly

ugly — adjective

1. describes a person, object, or place whose physical appearance is not pleasing t

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

describes a person, object, or place whose physical appearance is not pleasing to look at — for example, a face with deep scars, an old sofa with stains and ripped fabric, or a building covered in peeling paint.

Example

The old armchair was covered in ugly stains and had ripped fabric.

collocation: ugly stains

Amira felt self-conscious about the ugly scar on her knee from the bike accident.

collocation: ugly scar

Common collocations
  • ugly stain
  • ugly scar
  • ugly building
  • ugly curtains
  • ugly furniture
Synonyms
  • hideous

    much stronger and more extreme than 'ugly'; suggests something is shockingly unpleasant to look at

  • unsightly

    more formal; usually describes buildings, objects, or views rather than people

  • unattractive

    softer and more polite than 'ugly'; often a deliberate understatement

  • plain

    describes a person, especially a woman, who is not especially good-looking in a neutral, non-harsh way

Antonyms
  • beautiful

    the most direct opposite; describes something very pleasing to look at

  • attractive

    describes something pleasing in appearance, often in a way that draws positive attention

Grammar Patterns

ugly + noun

be/look + ugly

Common Mistakes

The weather is ugly today.
The weather is nasty today.
In natural English, 'ugly' is not used to describe bad weather; use 'nasty' or 'bad' instead.
She called me ugly.' (too blunt when describing a person)
She said I was not very attractive.
Calling a person 'ugly' is very direct and can be hurtful; softer alternatives like 'plain' or 'unattractive' are more tactful.

2. describes a situation, event, or way of behaving that is unpleasant because it i

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a situation, event, or way of behaving that is unpleasant because it involves or suggests violence, hostility, or danger — for example, a crowd that starts shouting and pushing, or the tense atmosphere in a room just before a fight begins.

Example

The argument outside the bar quickly turned ugly when bottles were thrown.

turned ugly

Sora could sense the ugly mood as the crowd began to push and shout.

collocation: ugly mood

Common collocations
  • turn ugly
  • get ugly
  • ugly mood
  • ugly scene
  • ugly fight
  • ugly incident
Synonyms
  • menacing

    suggests an intention to cause harm; stronger and more personal than 'ugly'

  • hostile

    focuses on unfriendly or aggressive behaviour from a person or group

  • nasty

    similar in meaning but slightly less intense; can describe both situations and people's behaviour

Antonyms
  • peaceful

    describes a situation free from violence or disturbance

  • friendly

    describes interactions that are warm and without hostility

Grammar Patterns

get/turn + ugly

ugly + noun (scene/fight/mood)

Usage Note

This sense is very common in fixed expressions like 'turn ugly' and 'get ugly', where the subject is typically a situation, argument, or crowd — not a person. You would not say 'He is ugly' to mean he is threatening; use 'menacing' or 'aggressive' instead.

Common Mistakes

The horror movie was really ugly.
The horror movie was really disturbing.
'Ugly' for threatening situations is usually reserved for real-life conflict, not fiction or entertainment.
He got ugly with me.
He got aggressive with me.
While some speakers use 'get ugly with someone', the standard expression is 'get aggressive' or 'get hostile'.

3. describes something that causes a disagreeable experience through hearing, smell

3.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes something that causes a disagreeable experience through hearing, smell, or taste rather than through sight — for instance, a harsh and grating noise, a bad smell rising from a blocked drain, or a bitter taste that you want to spit out.

Example

An ugly sound came from the car engine just before it stopped working.

ugly sound

Hamza held his nose as an ugly smell rose from the kitchen drain.

ugly smell

Common collocations
  • ugly sound
  • ugly noise
  • ugly smell
  • ugly taste
Synonyms
  • unpleasant

    broader and more general; works for all senses and is more neutral in tone

  • disgusting

    much stronger; suggests a feeling of revulsion, especially for smells and tastes

  • nasty

    informal; can describe bad smells, tastes, or sounds with a slightly stronger negative feeling

Antonyms
  • pleasant

    describes something that gives a positive sensory experience

  • sweet

    specifically for taste and smell; describes a gentle, pleasant quality

Grammar Patterns

ugly + sense noun (sound/smell/taste)

Usage Note

This sense is less common than sense 1 (visual ugliness). It is used most naturally with specific sensory nouns: 'ugly sound', 'ugly smell', 'ugly taste'. It is rarely used for touch ('ugly texture' is possible but unusual).

Common Mistakes

This soup tastes ugly.
This soup tastes awful.
While 'ugly taste' is acceptable in writing, in everyday speech 'awful' or 'disgusting' are much more natural for describing bad food or drink.

ugly — adverb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe something not pleasing to look at, but they differ in strength, focus, and politeness. 'Ugly' is the most direct and common word — it can describe anything from a scar to a building. 'Hideous' is far stronger, suggesting something that shocks or repulses you: a hideous mask, a hideous crime scene. 'Unsightly' is more formal and usually describes objects, buildings, or views rather than people — for example, an unsightly pile of rubbish at the side of the road. 'Unattractive' is a gentler, more polite alternative that people often use to avoid the harshness of 'ugly'. 'Plain' is the softest of the group and is mostly used to describe a person's face in a neutral way, suggesting a lack of special beauty rather than active ugliness. In conversation, calling someone 'ugly' is very direct and can be insulting, while 'unattractive' or 'plain' are considered more tactful.

ugly ↗hideousunsightly ↗unattractive ↗plain ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • really ugly
  • extremely ugly
  • truly ugly
  • quite ugly

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Ugly' comes from Old Norse 'uggligr', which meant 'dreadful' or 'frightening'. The Old Norse word was formed from 'ugga' (to fear, to dread), so the original idea was something that makes you feel afraid rather than something that looks bad. It entered English through the Vikings who settled in northern England, and by the Middle English period it had already shifted to describe unpleasant appearance.